Our Early Years pedagogy is built on strong relationships, high-quality interactions, and a commitment to ensuring that every child experiences an ambitious, inclusive and well-sequenced start to their education. Our intent is for children to develop the knowledge, language, skills and attitudes that will enable them to thrive throughout their school journey.
Relationships and Wellbeing
Children learn best when they feel deeply secure, known and valued. Positive relationships underpin our practice. Staff take time to understand each child’s interests, strengths and needs, and use this knowledge to support their emotional wellbeing, confidence and engagement in learning. Our approach places high importance on routines, belonging and emotional literacy.
Communication and Language at the Core
We prioritise the development of language and communication as the foundations for learning. Staff are trained to model high-quality language and facilitate purposeful talk throughout the day. We invest time in sustained shared thinking, dialogic teaching and vocabulary enrichment, recognising these as key drivers of progress across the curriculum.
Play-Based, Purposeful Learning
We know that play is fundamental to early learning. Children access extended periods of purposeful play within a well organised environment that encourages exploration, problem-solving and independence. Adult led learning is carefully planned, responsive and focused, designed to introduce and apply key concepts. Continuous provision is enhanced regularly to reflect children’s interests and next steps, enabling them to revisit and deepen their learning over time.
High-Quality Interactions and Responsive Teaching
Adults play a central role in moving learning forward. Through careful observation, timely intervention and the use of modelling, narration, questioning and scaffolding, we ensure that learning is precisely pitched and responsive to children’s development. The balance of adult-guided and child-initiated learning enables children to develop both independence and resilience alongside secure knowledge and skills.
Inclusive and Ambitious for Every Child
We are committed to inclusion and equallity. Our provision is designed to ensure that all children, including those with SEND or EAL, access the full EYFS entitlement alongside their peers. We adapt provision, resources and teaching approaches to remove barriers and ensure that every child can participate, make progress and succeed. Early identification and targeted support are embedded within our graduated approach.
The Learning Environment
Our indoor and outdoor environments are carefully curated to promote high-quality play, independence and collaborative learning. Resources are accessible, purposeful and open-ended to allow children to investigate, imagine and apply their learning in different contexts. The outdoor environment provides daily opportunities for physical development, nature exploration and problem-solving.
Assessment and Professional Judgement
Assessment is ongoing, meaningful and rooted in professional judgement. We observe children closely to understand their development, recognise learning behaviours, and identify what they need next. Assessment is used to inform planning, shape interactions and adjust provision. We work in partnership with parents and carers to build a shared understanding of each child’s progress.
Preparation for Year 1
We ensure children are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Our approach enables children to develop self-regulation, independence, secure language and early learning behaviours. We gradually increase expectations for sustained focus and apply learning in different contexts, ensuring a smooth and confident transition into Year 1. For more information on how we prepare for KS1, please see our Transition to Year 1 page here.